Supper with Sylvia Perez - Chicago's Foodie Podcast

🎙️ Have you ever tried booking a table at one of Chicago’s hottest restaurants only to find every reservation snatched up—or held hostage by a third-party app demanding sky-high fees? You’re not alone.

In this eye-opening episode of Supper With Sylvia, Emmy Award-winning journalist Sylvia Perez is joined by Sam Toia, President and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, to uncover how reservation apps and ticketing platforms ar...

Ready to take your cocktails to the next level? In this episode of Supper with Sylvia, discover how crystal clear ice cubes and spheres are transforming everything from spicy margaritas to refreshing gin and tonics. We sit down with the visionary founder of Quari Ice, the Chicago-based company setting a new standard for gourmet cocktail ice.

What You’ll Learn:

• The Clear Ice Phenomenon: Why top restaurants and elite bartenders swe...

What happens when a biologist and an economist team up to revolutionize the food system? In this episode of Supper with Sylvia, meet Sean DiGioia and Joe Weber, the innovative founders of Four Star Mushrooms, a Chicago company transforming the way we grow, eat, and think about mushrooms.

What You’ll Learn:

• The Power of Gourmet Mushrooms: Discover seven delicious, high-quality mushroom varieties that are winning over even the most...

In this episode of Supper with Sylvia, I’m thrilled to welcome Jason Chan, one of Chicago’s most respected restaurateurs and a true pioneer of classic French dining in the city.

Jason has built an extraordinary career defined by perseverance, resilience, and a passion for hospitality that has made him a trusted leader among chefs and restaurant owners alike. Inspired by his parents’ tireless work ethic and dreams of a better life, J...

What can you say about a guy whose favorite color is pastrami? Welcome to Better Between the Bread, the deliciously funny podcast celebrating the life and creations of Jeff Mauro—Chicago’s own Sandwich King.

From winning Food Network Star to hosting Sandwich King and crafting viral classics like the Freddy Boombatz and the Pork Chop Sammy, Jeff has built a culinary empire served with a side of humor and a splash of giardiniera.

Now, ...

If you are a true ramen enthusiast, you’ve probably heard whispers of The Ramen Lord, but in Chicago those whispers turn into full blown reverence when the name Mike Satinover comes up.  A self taught master of Japanese noodle science, Satinover spent years daydreaming and obsessing over the nuances of ramen.  Now, he’s perfected everything from the silky handmade noodles to deeply layered broths and spices.  On this episode of Sup...

There’s no place like Chicago when it comes to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. The river is a sea of bright green and the hallowed hum of bagpipes lead the annual parades. North side,  south side,  it’s all about the green beer and the scent of corned beef and cabbage wafting through Irish pubs across the city.  This week the lines form early at Fado Irish Pub where purveyor Kieran Aherne keeps the Guinness flowing for the biggest c...

The world looked on in shock three years ago as  Russian bombs began killing and injuring the people of Ukraine.  Thousands flooded the borders to escape with little or nothing but their lives.  As photographs and videos emerged, a group of Chicago chefs got together to figure out a way to do what they do best, start cooking and feeding the thousands of refugees.  In an extraordinary effort, Chicago chefs Tony Priolo and Sarah Steg...

Chicago Pastry Chef Casey Doody isn't shy about letting her dreams pave the way.  Known for her Sky High Key Lime Pie and Focaccia Fridays, she's built a reputation for creating the sweet treats that top off any celebration. Doody worked her craft in Dallas, New York City and Chicago's best restaurants, private clubs and fine hotels and now finds herself at a crossroads in a whole new journey.  In this episode of Sup...

Want to learn how to make the perfect pizza pie? Look no further than the North American Pizza and Culinary Academy of Lisle, Illinois.  Every year, Chef Anthony Iannone shares the secrets from the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli in Italy with fellow chefs and novices alike.  Roman, deep dish, thin crust, Detroit, sliced or squared, Chef Anthony and his team are the dough virtuosos for anyone wanting to dig deep into the history of the g...

Every year Chicago restaurant insiders gather for the annual Jean Banchet Awards. Named after the legend behind the famed Le Francias Restaurant in suburban Wheeling, the honor recognizes original talent behind Chicago's most loved establishments, touching on pizza, pastries, fine wine and great neighborhood joints. Its most enthusiastic supporter and master of ceremony this year is Michael Muser of the Michelin starred "...

An era ended in 2021 when acclaimed restaurant critic Phil Vettel retired from the Chicago Tribune.  Behind the shadowy figure in his by-line, Vettel brought the tastes of a diverse and vibrant culinary landscape to thousands of loyal readers for 31 years.   In this episode of Supper with Sylvia, Vettel details the modes operandi he used to keep his identity a secret to the hundreds of restaurants he visited during his storied tenu...

Malort, for many the word alone brings a shiver through the spine or warm nostalgia for a cold night in a Chicago tavern.  This gulp of bitterness harkens back to its Swedish roots of vodka and wormwood and has been described as just about the worst tasting liqueur on the bar room shelf.  Like kale and Brussels sprouts, Malort has been around for decades, it's just recently that a whole new generation of Chicagoans and now Ame...

He's been a household name for decades and the guy millions of Americans wake up to every morning on NBC's Today Show.   But Al Roker is more than the beloved weatherman, he's a prolific author of fiction, non fiction and cookbooks.  His latest is a labor of love, a tasty collection of cherished family recipes meticulously tested and detailed with the passion and enthusiasm of his co author daughter Courtney Roker La...

Chef Bill Kim is the culinary force behind Urbanbelly restaurant in Chicago and The Table at Crate in Oak Brook, a collaboration with Crate and Barrel.  Born in Seoul, Korea and raised in Chicago, Chef Kim graduated from Kendall College and immersed himself early in his career alongside the renowned chef Charlie Trotter.  In 2008, he opened Urbanbelly in Chicago's Wicker Park Neighborhood.  He's the author of “Korean BBQ:...

Top chefs use top quality ingredients, that's the premise Mohammad Salehi is counting on in building his growing Chicago business, Heray Spice. Salehi comes from a long line of Afghani farmers who have spent generations cultivating delicate saffron threads that add distinct flavor, aroma and color to the finest dishes.  It's a long road from the saffron fields of war weary Afghanistan to Chicago, but so far Mohammed Saleh...

Chicagoan of the Year, Executive Chef, Humanitarian and Hall of Famer are just a few of the accolades bestowed upon Art Smith.  Most people know he got his start as Oprah Winfrey's personal chef and skyrocketed into the culinary world cooking meals for presidents, princesses  and heads of state.  Chef Art is often described as a celebrity himself, but there's no doubt he's most comfortable in the kitchen providing mu...

Monica Eng and Audarshia Townsend are veteran journalists who've been covering the Chicago food and restaurant scene for years. In this inaugural episode of Supper with Sylvia, these two foodies reveal some of the city's hidden gems and discuss how the culinary landscape has evolved since the great pandemic of 2020.


The Show Notes:
Read more from Monica Eng at Axios.com and listen to her podcast "Ch...

Introducing Supper with Sylvia, The Everything Food and Restaurant Podcast of Chicago. Veteran television journalist Sylvia Perez takes you on flavorful journey through the heart of the Windy City's culinary scene.  Each episode uncovers the stories behind Chicago's hottest dining spots, from iconic deep dish pizza  to hidden neighborhood gems and Michelin star restaurants. Sylvia talks to the talented and passionate...